Il Mi Chung is one of the top players on the
KLPGA, and has been for several years (in 2002 she was 2nd
on the money list). Among her notable accomplishments are
winning the Korean Open, beating such luminaries as Se Ri
Pak, Gloria Park, Juli Inkster and Soo Yun Kang. Chung said
at the time that she had no desire to come to the LPGA and
was content to stay in Korea. However, in late 2003 she played
the LPGA Q-School and succeeded in getting an exempt card
for 2004.

2004 was not a good season for Il Mi, however.
Shortly before leaving for the US, she lost her sponsorship
deal. She had a hard time adjusting to the travel and conditions
in the States, and only made $14,648 all year. However, at
the end of the season, she got a new sponsor, a Korean golf
manufacturer. With the pressure of earning money in events
somewhat relieved, she promised that she would show the LPGA
what she was capable of in 2005.

And indeed, 2005 proved her best season to
date on tour. She even put herself into contention to win
at the Canadian Women's Open, finishing third in the end.
She made over $200,000 on the year and easily maintained her
tour card for 2006.

Galleries

2007

2005 - 2006

2003 and Before

Seoul Sisters Pix

In 2006, she improved yet again, finishing within
the top 40 on the money list, and thus earning a two year exempt
card. The highlight of her year was contending for the million dollar
payout at the ADT Championship. She was only a shot or two out of
the money until the 16th hole on Sunday, when she made a mistake
that dropped her to fourth. Still, she had her career year.

2007 was a little bit of a step back; she had no
top ten finishes that year, and only finished 51st on the money
list, but still easily maintained her exempt status for 2008. In
2008, she had two top tens all year and once again earned her full
membership card for 2009.

In December, 2008, Il Mi was named as a member of
the LPGA Player Executive Committee, a seven member group of players
that represents the players in dealings with the LPGA. She was the
first Korean golfer to be named to that group. This is often the
first step to becoming a full voting member on the LPGA's Board
of Directors. Congratulations to her!

Il Mi made just $33,000 in 2010 and was demoted
to partial tour status for 2011. She decided to return to the KLPGA
as a full time member. But she struggled in 2011 on the KLPGA tour,
making just one top ten, a 10th, while missing numerous cuts. She
finished 71st on the money list, and had to return to Q-School.
Amazingly, she was not able to get playing privileges on the big
tour, and ended up playing on one of the junior tours in Korea.

She does not seem to have played any events on the
main Korean tour since 2012. However, she has been playing on the
Senior Women's tour in South Korea since 2014. She has won and notched
many top tens there, and finished third on that money list in 2014.

Starting in 2015, Il Mi plays on the Korean Women's
Senior tour. That year, she won once, notched four other second
place finishes and 12 total top tens. She finished first on the
tour's money list.